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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25811623">Everything Concludes With You</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CapriciousKupo/pseuds/CapriciousKupo'>CapriciousKupo</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Castlevania (Cartoon), 悪魔城ドラキュラ | Castlevania Series</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>An excuse to write Hector/Rosaly hehehe, Carmilla is not my favourite person, Castlevania Season 3 Fix-It, F/M, Hectaly, I didn’t watch Castlevania S3 and it shows, Only OG characters Are Allowed, Post-Castlevania (Cartoon) Season 2, This is my version of season 3 and up of the anime</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 11:46:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,024</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25811623</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CapriciousKupo/pseuds/CapriciousKupo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Isaac gathers a demonic army while Hector is left to slave over the creation of Carmilla’s own demonic army… but is that army truly her’s much longer? The mysterious Curse of Darkness roams the land terrorizing the towns and villages, the very towns and villages that had just barely been saved from Dracula’s monsters. Violence breaks loose as towns are destroyed and pillaged by their own people. Where is Alucard in all this? The last Trevor and Sypha knew of him, they left him with his father’s dreaded Castle Dracula...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hector/Rosaly | Rosalee (Castlevania)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After Dracula’s defeat at the hands of Trevor, Sypha, and Alucard, peace was further away than ever. Violence ripped through and terrorized towns and settlements all across Wallachia. Towns were destroyed far less by monsters, but there was more violence than ever before. The buildings and residents were being torn apart by their own people. The minds of humans had begun to crumble. It was believed that they had grown used to the chaos, and wanted it returned to them, but others knew different. The darkness had never left. Instead of it manifesting into demonic form, it had taken deep root within the people’s hearts.</p><p>That didn’t mean the beings of hell weren’t still roaming about, of course.</p><p>Dusk had fallen. A woman dressed in a long green gown with her golden hair tied back loseley in a black ribbon fled in terror for her life. A group of enraged townspeople were chasing her, seeking to kill her for ‘what she had done’.</p><p>“This is your fault, witch! You unclean filth! You don’t attend church! It’s because you’re a witch! We will kill you!” She didn’t know what they were blaming her for, she assumed it was the night horde’s continued presence. That didn’t matter, though, all that mattered was if she got away. The group of angry people roared and chased her down, she was quick enough, even in her gown to move through the town and escape them, but she didn’t get far before two tall, armour-clad women with their faces covered in masked helmets appeared from the darkness between two buildings. When they stood before her, she slammed into both of them and fell to her knees. She looked up at them, and terror filled her eyes. Vampires. </p><p>The group of townspeople slid to a stop and froze as they saw the sight before them. “It’s.. it’s them!” One of them shouted. “T-the vampire women!! Run for your lives!!!” They turned and fled, forgetting entirely about the green woman.</p><p>The green woman quickly shuffled to her feet to flee from them, but one of them grabbed her by the hair. She screamed and hollered, kicking and pulling at her hair. “Let go!! Let go in Jesus’ name!!”</p><p>“Your Jesus can’t save you.” The vampire woman said. “You’re going to become one of us.” </p><p>A black-feathered body slammed into the vampire woman’s face just then, and several more bodies afterwards. Claws and beaks and wings slashed at their skin and pulled at their helmets. A flock of large crows came to the green woman’s rescue. The vampire women hollered and hissed at the birds, swiping their weapons through the air to kill them, but by the time the crows were scared off, the green woman had escaped.</p><p>“She’s gone.” The vampire with the scratched-up face frowned. “Let her have this. There’s other women in the town who will join us more easily.”</p><p>The green woman ran as far and as fast as her legs could carry her, back into the woods and back towards her home. When she began to run out of breath and her legs began to feel weak, she continued running. She thanked God that she had fed the crows every day she went into town, because without them protecting her, she would have been dead ten times over, her near death seemed to be a regular occurence. She ran and she ran, finally her speed caught up with her and overwhelmed her weakening legs and breath, and she tripped, crashing into a thorn bush painfully.</p><p>She let out a little squeak as she landed, and just laid there for a moment, her eyes tightening closed, hoping no enemies saw her. The pain from the thorns was nothing next to the overwhelming terror of near death, and those vampires. </p><p>Feeling a small wiggling thing squirm underneath her arm, she looked, and gasped. “Oh poor thing!” She carefully sat up, and watched the small snake she had landed on slither away to safety. “I squashed you! I’m sorry. You’ll be okay, though, I just squished a little fart out of you is all.” She laughed lightly. “My name is Rosaly, I live near here. We’re neighbours!” The snake disappeared in the bushes. “Bye bye!” She sighed. “That snake was lucky I didn’t accidentally hurt it worse… Though, if only others could be so lucky out there.” She looked out to the direction of the settlement and frowned at the thought of the people and creatures suffering out there from the chaos.</p><p> </p><p>A loud crash of metal sang as it collided with a larger slab of metal. Another crash happened. Then another, and another. It was a rhythm that never ended. The rhythm of creation, of life being granted through an art. Hector reminisced on a time when he used to happily, and calmly indulge in his work. As he watched the creature take shape on his table, all he could feel was rage, fear, and regret. He regretted helping Carmilla, feared for his life, and felt such anger. He wasn’t sure why he had to be so angry. It was so unlike him. Yet, he couldn’t help it. Every time he was struck by Carmilla, the fires of his rage were stoked. His memories slipped to the suffering of the children out there, suffering from the terror of vampires, and his very own creatures. His grip tightened on his hammer, his arm shook, and his rage boiled over. He screamed while slamming the forgemaster hammer into the anvil, and formed a terrifying dragon. The sight of the dragon as it lifted itself off the anvil calmed him, even if the creature was formed of rage.</p><p>Hector reached out and touched the dragon’s nose, it closed it’s cold blue eyes, it’s own rage cooling to a simmer along with Hector’s.</p><p>“I love you, my creature, but I hate what she’s using you for.” Hector said to it. The creature bowed its head, feeling Hector’s regret, and walked out of the dark Forgemastery room. It leaped up to fly to the highest points of Carmilla’s small manor in the town. “If only I could destroy the source of my creatures’ pain, and the source of the children’s pain.” That source was himself. He had hoped that maybe if he defied Carmilla enough, she would eventually kill him. He turned to gather more materials to continue his work, the chains that were latched around his neck, ankles, and arms clattered with his movements.</p><p>Carmilla sauntered into the room soon after, a hand rested on her hip. “Have you finished the next wave?”</p><p>“Almost. It takes time, stop disturbing me.” Hector stated bluntly without giving her so much as a glance.</p><p>“Oh no need to be so rude.” She hissed.</p><p>“I’m not rude…?” He was confused as he picked up another corpse of a dead man. “I actually do not want you to disturb my work. Get out.”</p><p>She hissed at him. “Do not talk to me like that!”</p><p>“Get out now?” He honestly did not know how to talk to her.</p><p>She took a few steps towards him and went to strike him with a clawed hand, but he caught her wrist and glared at her. She swiped to strike him with her other hand instead and he would have caught that one as well, but his arm was stopped by a chain. She freely slapped him over onto the floor, he grunted as he crashed down.</p><p>“Don’t command me!” She shouted. “I am your master!!”</p><p>“Oh… my apologies.” Hector replied as he laid on the floor, motionless. “Get out… please…? I can’t believe I forgot please.” She kicked him, he groaned and held his stomach. “If you continue to kick me, I will work less.” She kicked him again and he coughed in pain. “Have—.” He wheezed. “—- it your way.”</p><p>She hollered a string of obscene curses and stormed out of the room. Finally she was gone.</p><p>He turned his head and looked out the tiny window towards the sky. He saw a crow gliding by, it’s presence soothed him, and made him smile, the burning rage in his chest quelled just a little bit.</p><p> </p><p>The crow landed in a tree above a romantic couple traveling on horse-drawn carriage through the woods. They headed towards the nearest town.</p><p>“How do we know this one isn’t going to be infested with crazy people?” Trevor asked.</p><p>“I have hope that it won’t, and we can actually replenish our food supply.” Said Sypha.</p><p>When they reached the edge of town, the first thing they noticed was violence. A man stabbed another man over a disagreement about spilled fruit. The stabbed man grabbed another knife and stabbed the first man. They both yelled at the top of their lungs and cursed and swore and tried without end to kill each other.</p><p>“This one, too?” Trevor’s brown eyebrows furrowed as he slid off the cart.</p><p>“Trevor wait, be careful.” Said Sypha.</p><p>“Sypha please. I’m stronger than a hundred of these guys stacked on eachothers shoulders! I’ll put them in the ground!”</p><p>“Remember when the whole town retaliated last time? Are you going to put the whole town in the ground? You’ll be worse than Dracula! They’ll make legends about you that will be in books for centuries! Legendary Belmont: human hunter!”</p><p>“I rather like the sound of that.” Trevor smirked.</p><p>“No you don’t!” Sypha frowned and watched as Trevor approached the two men with knives and threw both his fists out and hit their faces both at once, knocking them out. He pointed at the two onlookers closest to him.  “You, and you. Stop gawking and get these two half dead men to a healer. Oh and don’t even think about mistaking me for a vampire! I’m a vampire hunter. Got it? Vampire hunter, not human hunter.”</p><p>A woman screamed. “Human hunter? GET HIM!!!” Half the town square ran in terror and the other half began to chase him.</p><p>“BLOODY HELL—“ Trevor turned and jump-flipped back onto the cart while Sypha turned the horses and cart around. They fled at top speed once again.</p><p>After they had finally been chased off back into the woods, they allowed their horses a chance to rest while they searched for anything they could find in the bushes to eat.</p><p>“Trevor, I think it’s time we face the truth.” Sypha began.</p><p>“And that is?” Trevor asked nonchalantly while he plucked a berry and poked it into his mouth.</p><p>“We need him.” Sypha saw Trevor’s tense reaction, he knew exactly who she was talking about. “We thought we would be just fine, but whatever is happening to people out there is going to make us starve to death. We are running out of food and we need his help.”</p><p>“So we're just going to take his food, then?” Trevor raised an eyebrow at her.</p><p>She sighed. “Yes.”</p><p>“I like it. Anything to piss him off.” He slammed his fist into his hand.</p><p>“We will find a way to pay him back, we are not just going to take it and leave.” She assured him.</p><p>“Fine, fine.”</p><p>With that, the duo swallowed their pride and began on the long journey to Dracula’s Castle. Where normal vampire hunters would go to fight vampires, Trevor and Sypha just wanted some pot roast. They had just enough supplies to last them the trip.</p><p> </p><p>“Now Treffy…” Sypha started as they saw the castle peaks thrusting up from the tops of the trees surrounding the castle. The sudden forest that suddenly came out of nowhere somehow while they were gone, they didn’t question it, for now, there was more pressing matters, like the hunger that was so bad it was in their brains. “... don’t make Alucard try to kill you as well, though he did try that the first time you met… he may have forgotten you and could think you’re a wild vampire hunter out to hunt him.”</p><p>“Hardy har.” Trevor pouted.</p><p>“... I’m just kidding. He wouldn’t have forgotten you. You’re unforgettable and I adore you.” Sypha smooched his cheek, which instantly healed his pride and caused a goofy pleased expression on his face.</p><p>The two drew the carriage to the outskirts of the castle and slid off, Trevor helping Sypha down after him. They approached the castle gates cautiously. </p><p>“I have no idea how to get in.” Said Trevor. “Do we knock? Is there a door? Those two large doors are a door, right? It’s always open when we come here, but now it’s closed.” No one let them in. The night had fallen on them, and the castle was eerie, and had a deep sensation of emptiness and death. The couple became cold as they gazed up at it, it was a feeling so deep and alone, they felt a sorrowful sense of solitude, even though they were together. They stepped away from the castle, Sypha first, then Trevor. They no longer wanted to be here.</p><p>Sypha whispered with a sense of dread. “We should have never left Alucard here alone…”</p><p>A howl pierces through the darkness, and another shortly after, then another. They are surrounded. Wolves, a massive pack of them had come upon them and surrounded them on all sides. The wolves crept up, preparing to attack. They charged in, Trevor and Sypha were ready, but suddenly, the largest one, an all white one howled, and leaped in the middle of the entire pack, standing in the pathway between the wolves, and the couple. It snarled and growled, it’s size seeming to grow as it’s head lowered and it’s fur spiked up. The pack stopped their advance, and shortly turned to submerge back into the woods.</p><p>The wolf relaxed it’s posture, and looked up to Trevor and Sypha with a calm face. It magically shimmered and shapeshifted into a tall, nicely dressed, prince. “You shouldn’t be here.” Was the first thing Alucard said.</p><p>“Where should we be, then?” Asked Trevor. “In your breast crack? We came because we can’t go anywhere else and we’re starving.”</p><p>“I only have so much chicken in the castle.” Said Alucard.</p><p>“You…. you have chicken?” Trevor’s stomach growled.</p><p>Finally Sypha shoved him aside to talk to Alucard herself. “Alucard, our dear friend. Don’t mind Trevor, he’s just moody because he got us chased out of five towns before we ever had a bite to eat.”</p><p>“It wasn’t FIVE!” Trevor barked.</p><p>Sypha hushed him. “Please. We’ve barely eaten in such a long time. I promise we won’t be long.”</p><p>“I will help you, but you cannot enter the castle.” Alucard said. It was up to him to gather the food and help them set up camp outside the castle, within the woods. They sat around a small fire, just like old times, and fed their hungry bellies with delicious pot roast and potatoes.</p><p>“I forbid you from entering the castle.” Alucard spoke darkly. “Not out of my own convenience, but because this castle is pure evil. I tell you this not because I have no faith in you, but because I have all faith in you. My father…” he looked towards the fire. “He’s gone, but his spirit of hatred for humans and life itself still yet lingers. His sadness has taken shape… it’s infected everything within… the remaining monsters, the creatures, everything. It’s crept into the woods as well. This castle is an entity of its own, you must stay away.”</p><p>“Then why are you still here?” Sypha asked.</p><p>“I’m the only one capable of holding back it’s darkness. So leave, before it affects you, too.” Alucard warned.</p><p>“You’re coming with us.” Stated Sypha sincerely.</p><p>“I must stay to keep the darkness at bay!” Alucard frowned.</p><p>“I’m so glad you asked me first.” Said Trevor, but he was ignored.</p><p>“If you can somehow hold back this castle’s darkness, then surely you can help us find out what’s happening to the rest of Wallacia. —- oh. I just figured it out, nevermind.” Sypha realized something.</p><p>“It’s okay though I would have said yes anyway!” Trevor was still on the topic of Alucard. He was still ignored. He crossed his arms and pouted.</p><p>“Alucard, I’m sorry but you’re doing a terrible job of holding back the darkness… it’s affecting all of Wallacia.” Sypha frowned.</p><p>“What?” Alucard’s sharp teeth clenched, his golden eyes narrowed sharply.</p><p>“Yeah, murderous assholes are everywhere! Have you noticed?” Trevor asked.</p><p>“This can’t be…” Alucard’s blank gaze settled to the ground.</p><p>“Yes it can. Murderous assholes aren’t a new thing. They’ve been around since Cain killed Abel.”</p><p>“Then there is only one thing that can be done to stop it…” Alucard said darkly, his fire-glittering eyes resting on Trevor and Sypha, who both listened intently, leaning in. “We must destroy Castle Dracula to stop the curse.”</p><p>“What?” Trevor was taken aback along with Sypha. “Look how big that thing is! How would we even begin to do that?”</p><p> </p><p>Crash. Crash. The anvil continued to sing. A clatter happened, and the sound finally concluded.</p><p>“I’ve finished.” Hector allowed himself to crumple up and lay on the floor, exhausted. His latest creation, a large, muscular werewolf, laid next to him. “Hey buddy.” He greeted the creature, and shut his eyes, trying to sleep. He hoped that Carmilla would think he was dead, so she would throw him out, and he would be free. Nah, who was he kidding? She could probably smell his heartbeat from across the countryside. He had a lot of different theories about vampires, but he didn’t care to learn about them as much as the art of Devil Forgemastery. </p><p>He stared up at his werewolf friend. “If you help me escape, would Carmilla finally kill me? I don’t want to die, but if it’s between the children or myself, I should be the one to lose my life…” The werewolf sat up, and stood on its haunches. “What are you up to? Are you leaving to go join the rest of the pack?” It turned towards the wall below the window and pulled back it’s massive arm. Hector stood up to his feet quickly. “Whoa whoa…” His desires became intent, as the werewolf slammed it’s massive fist into the wall. With a loud bang, it created a gaping hole in the wall to the outside. “Oh.” Hector stood in awe, his creatures never having reacted this way before. Ordinarily, the intention he created them for would be all that they would do, but this creature gave itself intention from Hector’s own desires. The werewolf approached Hector and ripped off his chains, freeing him. The clasp and chain remained around his neck, but it didn’t bother him anymore, it was more of an accessory.</p><p>Hector took his shimmering sword hidden in a sheath strapped beneath the anvil and strapped it along his waist. He had spent time creating it in secret using metals he found on the rich, and metals he tore from the room. He had done it all without Carmilla’s knowing, now it would finally draw vampire blood. He climbed atop the large furry creature and shouted a command. “GO!” And the beast was off, charging through the hole, it fell down to the bushes below. Hector and the creature bolted off into the woods, but they didn’t get away without being noticed.</p><p>Carmilla’s vampire guards tailed them, they flung arrows at him which struck both him and the werewolf. They both toppled over onto the ground, and Hector stood up to his feet quickly, unsheathing his sword. The werewolf bellowed and drew its claws, slashing the guards as they caught up to the two.</p><p>Hector had once risen to life a master of the sword arts in a demon form, and told it to train him while Carmilla was away. He had gotten just enough training to learn how to be somewhat proficient in wielding the sword before the guards found out and killed the master. It had taken out twenty of the guards before it fell. This is what enabled Hector to hold his own against armoured vampires. He parried, thrusted, swiped and stabbed the guards, but many of their attacks broke through his guard and stabbed his sides and slashed his legs. He hollered out in pain, and the werewolf retaliated in rage. </p><p>It jumped in front of Hector, and without regard for its own safety, it leaped upon the remaining vampire soldiers and did everything it could to tear them to pieces while leaving itself wide open for attack. With nothing to do but watch as the vampires and werewolf fought to the death, Hector turned and fled into the woods. </p><p>He ran, and he ran and he didn’t stop. His trail of blood would surely be tracked, so throwing caution to the wind, he leaped into the river. He believed if he was carried somewhere far off in the river, he would finally get away, but if he died in the river, the children would be saved. Either way, he would get what he desired.</p><p>Keeping his head above the water was difficult, especially since he couldn’t swim. He was sure to die, his head struck on a rock at the bottom of the river, and the next thing he knew, he was dead...</p><p>...Or no, he wasn’t dead. He woke up, blurred vision, daylight blinding him, his entire body burning, at least the sun was warm on his face. Surrounding him was a bush that seemed to swallow him. How he ended up in a bush from in the river, he had many guesses, but that’s not something he cared to think about in his final moments of life. Instead, he would think about the many tiny colourful birds chirping at him. He hoped these birds didn’t mind watching him die. He didn’t mind them. He counted himself lucky to die in their presence.</p><p>He heard children playing nearby, happily he listened to them. The sound of their cheerful, giggling voices as they played happily and safely soothed him.</p><p>A woman dressed in long green clothing was nearby. Rosaly watched the children with joy as they played. “Careful not to play too close to the river, my dears! Okay?” They shouted ‘okay!’ To her. “If you play nice, we can have pie after!” The children shouted with joy.</p><p>The loud and rising chirping of the birds caught Rosaly’s curiosity. Normally there weren't so many birds crowding one bush. “Could there be tasty berries here?” She approached the bush, and was shocked to see a motionless man completely beaten up. He was beautiful, his messy, silver hair glinted in the sunlight, what little of his olive skin that wasn’t covered in bruises and scratches was equally beautiful. She wanted to touch him, to see if he was alive, and because he looked like an angel to her eyes.</p><p>Carefully, she picked up a stick, deciding that it was far too dangerous to touch him with her hand, then reached over and jabbed him in the cheek with the sharper end of the stick. He grunted, and she gasped at him. “You’re not a corpse? But you’re covered in wounds!”</p><p>“I’ll be a corpse soon.” Hector side-eyed her while smiling lightly, he attempted a snarl but he accidentally looked delighted to see her instead, because he was. “Don’t bother with me.” </p><p>“If you want to die, then why are you in a shaded area? You can dehydrate and die faster in the sun.” She so kindly informed him while smiling.</p><p>“Look.” Hector warned as he picked up a tiny spider and let it crawl on his arm, he took a couple magic coins out of his boot, and clashed them together, they rang and lit the spider ablaze with blue magic, it grew to the size of his head. “If the spiders continue to grow like this because of me, insects may no longer satisfy them as prey… So don’t bother with me.” He put away the coins and tried to turn over, and look away from her, but it proved difficult with his battered body trapped and tangled in the bush. “If you attempt to take in a snake, you’ll get bitten.”</p><p>Rosaly thought ‘Is that a threat?’ “That’s not the snake’s fault. You’re a special, powerful person.”</p><p>Closing his eyes in resignation, Hector attempted to frighten her away one last time. “Be cautious when poking someone with a stick.”</p><p>She giggled. “I suppose you’re right. I was trying to be cautious, but maybe I should have used a larger stick. Maybe a tree? Anyway, are you hungry? Do you want some water? You look soaked to the bone like you just came out of the river, so you may have had your fill of water. By the way, that magical trick sure was interesting.”</p><p>There he was, sooner than he realized, laying on a carpet in the house of this lady named Rosaly. He was stripped to his underclothes, he helped her clean him and bandage him up as best they could.</p><p>“I’m sorry for using your supplies on my body, you need this cloth to make a living off of.” Hector apologized.</p><p>“Don’t apologize… Hector, was it?” Said Rosaly. “If it would save your life, I would gladly use all of my supplies and even the clothes I’m wearing to help you.” The image that statement caused in Hector’s mind caused him to tense, especially since he, too, was looking indecent himself.</p><p>“Rosaly.” He looked away from her, blushing. “We just met, yet you would give everything for me?”</p><p>“Yes.” She answered, softly.</p><p>“Why?” He wondered.</p><p>“I don’t know… I just… I guess I just want to.” She answered sincerely, fidgeting with the cloth she just finished patching up his chest with.</p><p>“Do you live alone?” He looked around at her house. “That’s dangerous.”</p><p>“I had a family elsewhere, but they were attacked by monsters. Was your place safe?” She asked him while turning over a burning log in the fireplace with a stick.</p><p>“It wasn’t, no.” Hector explained while pulling his clothes back on. He covered himself in the remaining cloth, and shuffled closer to the fireplace. He stared at the fire, dreadful memories of his past threatening to resurface, but they were interrupted by Rosaly’s kind voice.</p><p>“Wait while I heat up the soup. Oh! Are you still cold? I’ll give you more blankets.” She pulled the blanket off her bed and draped it over him. “There you go.” He sat there, shivering, tightening his arms next to his body. He scrunched his shoulders up to his ears. He became small, and in Rosaly’s eyes, adorable. He almost was not a scary spider-englargening man.</p><p>“Rosaly… I’ll do anything to repay you.” He began in a gentle voice. “Splitting wood, drawing water, I’ll do anything. I’ll even give you my arms, and my eyes.”</p><p>“Your arms and eyes? Oh dear.” Rosaly shook her head, smiling fondly. “There’s no need for that, Hector.”</p><p>“Please, I’ll do anything.” He begged her.</p><p>“Alright… I suppose you can help me protect the orphans, cook, clean, draw water and split some wood for yourself. Lots of wood. You’re going to be staying a while.” She smiled.</p><p>“I am?” He blinked at her, confused.</p><p>“Yes, haven’t you noticed? You can barely walk!”</p><p> </p><p>A sweet feeling overflowed within him continually as the weeks passed. He had almost completely forgotten the terror rising up around Wallacia. Until one day, it came up in a conversation.</p><p>“Rosaly, you’ve let me stay for so long.” Hector said, sitting at her table as she sewed lace. “Thank you.” He watched her. “Your lace, it makes people happy, doesn’t it? It’s beautiful.”</p><p>“Thank you, Hector.” Rosaly smiled. “When I was alone, I learned how to sew lace in the community inside town. Recently, though, they only talk of war and pestilence… Though the monsters have mostly been exterminated, Everyone is uneasy, so sometimes they persecute somebody. Though, everyone wishes they could just be happy. So that’s why I sew lace.”</p><p>The warmth in Hector’s chest grew again, but her mentioning of the monsters reminded him of what he had done, and who was after him, he didn’t want the source of this warmth to disappear. “I have to leave.”</p><p>“Was it something I said?” Rosaly blinked at him.</p><p>“No, I love hearing everything you say, you’re— I just have to go. There is someone searching for me, I can’t let them find me.” He slid back the chair and stood up.</p><p>“You’re not going to leave right now, are you? Where will you go? You said the place you came from is not safe.” Rosaly was concerned.</p><p>“She’s going to find me, then you and all of the children in this village will pay the price, I have to draw her away from here.”</p><p>“Who? Who is going to find you?”</p><p>“Her name is Carmilla. She is the vampire that leads the hoards now.” Hector frowned deeply.</p><p>“Oh no.” Rosaly gasped. “That’s who had you captured? That’s the reason your neck still has that choker and chain over it?” Rosaly was painfully aware of what horrible things Carmilla was capable of. All kinds of horrible thoughts flooded her mind, then, and terrified her to the bone. What could she have made Hector do?</p><p>“I won't leave you with nothing, though. Here.” Hector unhitched the string of Charon’s obol that had been wrapped around his waist, and set it on the table before her. “Payment. I never needed to use it, thanks to you.”</p><p>“Charon’s obol, the ferryman’s toll for the journey across the river of Hades.” Rosaly said. “Still in tatters, but with so much sparkle? Thank you for your thoughtfulness, but people would think I’d stolen it.”</p><p>“Oh.” Hector took the belt back. “That makes sense.”</p><p>Rosaly was afraid, not for herself nor even the children, but for him. If he was captured by that vampire again… oh she dare not think it. She couldn’t stand the thought of him leaving. Not Hector. </p><p>Oh how she loved him. She loved how heroic he was and how little he knew about the world and how beautiful he was when he was happy. She wanted to teach him everything there was to know outside of his dark world, and learn everything he had to teach her. She wanted to grow with him. “Please stay.” Her voice was sweet and soft and barely audible.</p><p>As he gazed at her, Hector saw the world melt away around the both of them, but he didn’t mind. He wanted nothing more than to experience this thick sensation of warmth and belonging. Of joy and forgiveness. Of patience and kindness that wasn’t self-serving nor did it hold grudges. He had a deep, unquenchable longing for it. He wanted to take hold of it and never let it go. “I… I shouldn’t.” </p><p>Hector looked away, the world returned into existence around him, as much as it hurt his chest. “Your home here, Rosaly… it’s peaceful, there’s good scenery, joyful people, the air is nice, there’s lovely animals, and lovely…” He looked at her again. “Lovely…” He raised his hand slightly to touch her hair, but withdrew it. “It’s perfect here. I would give my life for— … for you.” His gaze strengthened with focus. “...and I will.”</p><p>“Then stay.” Stated Rosaly, eyes glittering, voice quivering. “You can protect us.” She quickly snatched his hand, shivers ran up his arm and down his spine, his breath slowed, his heart thumped. “Please.”</p><p>One last breath of anxiety was let out, before he finally gave into her. “Alright... one more night. I’ll think it over for one more night.”</p><p>She buried her cheek in his hand. “Thank you, Hector.” He was frozen at her touch, he never wanted it to leave, the world melted around them once again.</p><p>There was no time in his life that a human has ever made him so happy…</p><p> </p><p>Months ago, traveling through the desert on the back of a demonic horse, Isaac reminisced on his past with his dear ‘friend’, Hector. He didn’t miss him. No. He had better friends, more loyal friends. An army of devils forged by his hands. Resurrected friends for him to command. </p><p>Wallacia was his goal, all he had to do was cross the continent to get there. He would arrive, and he would avenge Dracula. His legacy would live on.</p><p>“Dracula…you will live on through me…” An army of demons followed behind him as he crossed the hot landscape through the night. He was dressed in newly forged draconic-winged armour and leather. It was lighter to wear and cooler in the heat than his previous set. His army grew as he passed more human settlements and reduced them to rubble, raising the dead bodies into deadly creatures. He had resurrected a pathfinder with a map to guide him back to Wallachia. The trip took many months, but eventually, he had returned, his massive army covering the landscape. “I will turn Wallacia into a graveyard in your name, Dracula!” His rampage on Wallachia began, just as it had been on the anniversary of Lisa’s death. For killing the one Dracula loved, humans would continue to pay.</p><p>The town was living peacefully and happy. They counted themselves lucky for being the farthest away from the hottest point of chaos in Wallachia, and had never been touched by demons. Life was so joyful, and fun, they even celebrated the birthday of their eldest town member. It was a happy celebration in the night. The stars twinkled peacefully, until they were blotted out by a cloud of roaring demons.</p><p>The sound pierced the air, it shredded the light in the hearts of the people seconds before their bodies began to be ripped apart around the joyous camp fire. It was a celebration of birth that had become a carousing of blood and death.</p><p>The once peaceful town had been crushed into a sea of blood. There was no one to stop Isaac as he ploughed through the village on horseback, tearing through people with his new weapon, his prized, blood-thirsty spear, the Chauve-souris. He could barely wait until the rest of Wallachia’s blood splattered across its length.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I don’t want to give spoilers so I’m thinking I won’t tell you what happens in it that really made me want to write it. The meeting between Hector and Rosaly and much of the phrasing of it is borrowed from Prelude to Revenge mini comic for Castlevania: Curse of Darkness that was Japan-only. I hecking love Prelude to Revenge.<br/>Oh also: I totally never watched Season 3, and only know about snippets of it, and won’t read the wiki page, so any similarities between this fic and season 3 that aren’t super super obvious are a coincidence.<br/>This fic won’t have smut in it like the show does (sorry if you like smut), and will be lots of comedy with a ton of drama. It will have no season-3 specific characters because I can’t write the show versions of them because again I haven’t watched S3 of the show whoops sorryy.<br/>It’s very much a forgemaster fic soooooooooo. LOTS of Forgemasterness. It’s basically a really detailed and intricate Hector and Rosaly fanfiction hahahahaha.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Why do we need a spell, anyway?” Asked Trevor as he, Sypha, and Alucard strolled through another town that they had managed to stop from tearing itself apart and burning itself to the ground. They used violence to do it. “Why can’t we just ask some king somewhere ‘May we please borrow your catapults to knock down a castle?’” He picked up another half-torched book from the bonfire that Sypha had just barely extinguished and handed it to her. Sypha read the spine, and shook her head, so he took it back and threw it back into the pile. She glared at him, and he shrugged, confused.</p><p>“The castle’s mechanisms are enchanted.” Alucard explained. “You may have stopped it’s movements for just long enough for us to get into the castle, but they will repair themselves, and repair the castle as well, no matter how often it is destroyed. I remember now. The castle must be pulled apart supernaturally by the ancient art known only as Devil Forgemastery.”</p><p>“Great. And Dracula’s Devil Forgemasters are probably dead, killed by us, correct? I read about them in the bestiary.”</p><p>“Most likely, they are dead.” Said Alucard.</p><p>“So we must find the spell ourselves, then. I can do it!” Sypha said excitedly.</p><p>“Look at Sypha here, excited to use dark magic.” Trevor smirked.</p><p>“Magic is art just as drawing is art.” Sypha explained. “If using it makes you a terrible person then I guess I was never meant to be a part of society to begin with! I am a nomad afterall! Hmfh!”</p><p>“It’s charming that you’re so excited to be a Devil Forgemaster.”</p><p>“I’m not going to be a Devil Forgemaster, I’m not going to resurrect the dead, I’m just going to break a castle and be done with it!”</p><p>“Fine fine.”</p><p>“I’m afraid it’s not so easy, you cannot learn to be a Forgemaster, it’s an ability you must be born with, and taught over the course of decades.” Alucard bore the bad news.</p><p>“Oh… well maybe Sypha is the special case? She can do anything and be anything. She’s amazing.”</p><p>“Oh stop!” She lightly smacked Trevor and blushed. “... no keep going I am rather incredible.” The three laughed joyfully. Alucard had missed this.</p><p>“Look, over there!” Alucard suddenly shouted, bearing his fangs at the sign of a large fire. Smoke rose in the distance. These days, smoke almost certainly meant bloody chaos, just as it did this time.</p><p>“Another one? The fun never ends.” Trevor sighed heavily.</p><p>The three mount the carriage once again to head out quickly towards the source of the destruction.</p><p>They were shocked to find it was the vampire Carmilla and a small squad of her soldiers rampaging through a town and burning it to the ground.</p><p>“<em> Search for him! Kill everyone until you find him! </em>” Carmilla commanded. Her vampire forces were a second away from attacking a group of innocent villagers crying in fear, trapped between a large building and the soldiers, when Sypha jumped in. She wept her arm through the air in a semi-circle and overwhelmed the group with a massive wave of ice. </p><p>“Damn vampire hunters!” Carmilla cussed and leapt into the fray herself. Her first target was Trevor, she sought to rip open his throat and bathe in his blood.</p><p>“Whoa!!” Trevor leaned back, leaned forward then back, forward and back again several times, dodging several swift claw swipes. He backstepped several times, and dropped to the ground to hit her feet with the whip. She gracefully, and easily moved away from his strikes, then kicked him the face with her sharp shoe. He flew backwards and slammed into a wall, causing it to crack from the force of his crash. She bolted forth, and would have fallen victim to her if Alucard hadn’t leaped in just then, and thrusted his sword before him, straight towards her heart. Using her vampiric speed, she moved to the top of a building to shout a command. </p><p>“<em> Withdraw! Withdraw right now! He’s not here! </em>” She screeched, as Alucard followed her atop the building and crashed his sword down upon the building, slicing the empty air where she had been. As quick as a cloud of bats, the vampires fled the town, leaving it ablaze. The building Alucard struck collapsed into a heap of rubble and dust, and he leaped off. The townspeople and the three hunters, mainly Sypha with her magic, were quick to begin extinguishing the flames of the town.</p><p>Once they had finished extinguishing the flames, Trevor turned to another matter. “Alucard, what the <em> hell </em>was that?” He was exasperated and shocked.“How did you kill an entire building?”</p><p>Alucard approached him, hand on the hilt of his sword. “Ever since the Curse has shown itself…” he looked at his hands. “My strength has multiplied. Surely you’ve noticed the increased strength of all creatures of the night?”</p><p>“I have, but this?” Trevor gestured to the crashed building. “This?!?”</p><p>“Yes. That is why we must stop the curse, far more than merely myself are affected by it.”</p><p>“What about that woman?” Sypha asked. “She was looking for someone.”</p><p>“She was one of Dracula’s loyal subjects. I believe the other hunters referred to her as Carmilla…” He walked up next to Sypha, Alucard following after. “I wonder who she was searching for…”</p><p> </p><p>Laying on the grass next to each other in the forest village, gazing at the starry night sky were Hector and Rosaly. They were quiet as they simply basked in each other's presence beneath the darkness and stars.</p><p>Hector’s fingers slowly crept towards Rosaly’s hand, longing to feel her touch, but when a shrill scream shattered the beautiful night, he jerked up to his feet, Rosaly following after, he drew his sword. “She found me!!” He roared as he charged towards the source of the cry. Rosaly stayed back to avoid the danger.</p><p>The villagers ran from the woods as Hector stopped, standing before a ferocious army of monsters that crawled from the woods, their leader, a tall man atop a demonic, glowing-eyed horse.</p><p>“Isaac?!” Hector was taken aback.</p><p>“Hector!!!!! Is that you?!”</p><p>Hector lowered his guard for a moment. “I thought you were Carmilla, thank God it’s you.”</p><p>“No.” Isaac shook his head grimly. “Don’t thank God. Say hello to him, or curse him, because I’ve come to kill everyone here.” He grinned chaotically. “Goodbye, Hector.”</p><p>“What?” Terror filled Hector’s eyes as he raised his sword again. No Isaac, don’t!!!!” “Don’t?” He laughed. “Why in the hell wouldn’t I? Did you forget what Dracula asked of us? To purge the countryside of filth that is humans?”</p><p>“No Isaac. Not these ones, please… just… not these people...”</p><p>“So you can spare some humans? Just like that?”</p><p>“Yes!!!! Please… Isaac…” Hector begged, shaking. “I hate to ask this of you… but.. if it means their safety… kill everyone else, but let the people of this village be.”</p><p>“You disgust me.” Isaac frowned.</p><p>“I know… I’ve always known.” Hector shook his head.</p><p>“You think you’re one of them, yet you give the rest away. You’re a monster to them just as my army is, once they find out who you really are, they will kill you.”</p><p>“That won’t happen. I will be sure of it.” Hector said sincerely.</p><p>“And if you fail, what will you do? Kill them as you did your parents?”</p><p>“...”</p><p>“… very well. Hector, we were comrades once, for being there, even if it meant little to me, I will give you this small village. I will kill the entire world, then your peaceful village will be all that’s left, but if they start to be themselves. To be the humans that you and I both loathe so much… they WILL die, and it won’t be me that kills them, it will be you. Everything concludes with you.”</p><p>“...”</p><p>“So be it.” Isaac turned his horse and withdrew. He and his army left, leaving the village at peace once again.</p><p>Hector, filled with shame, sheathed his sword and returned to Rosaly, his expression grim.</p><p>“Did you chase them off?” She asked.</p><p>“I… I did.” Hector couldn’t meet her gaze.</p><p>“Oh Hector!” She threw her arms over him and hugged him. He weakly hugged her in return. He had betrayed humanity, and he had betrayed Dracula, and now Isaac’s words rang loudly in his mind. ‘Everything concludes with you.’ he tried to silence the words in his mind, and held tightly onto Rosaly. The words finally faded, for in this moment, he knew what his life was meant for: her and naught else. As long as she was safe, that was all that mattered… Even if the whole world burned in his rage around them.</p><p> </p><p>The army of Isaac marched through the darkness of the coming night, searching for their next settlement to find ‘recruits’. He at last came upon one, but it was far from a peaceful town. It was already found by another army of monsters; Carmilla and her vampires.</p><p>“Carmilla.” Isaac growled with venom in his voice. It should have been her to die, not Dracula! He would be certain to fix this mistake. He marched on fearlessly. If he were to die, he would not have his revenge, but he still didn’t fear his death, because he knew that his course was set, and that she was destined for death by his hand. </p><p>He stood before her army, and saw her. “Carmilla you will die.” The hoof of his horse stomped into the rain-drenched landscape, muck spattering into the air like an explosion.</p><p>“Excuse me?” She asked boredly while standing atop a statue in the middle of a fountain, her attention drawn away from her bloody fighting vampires for the moment. “Did I do something you didn’t like?” She smirked.</p><p>“...It was <em> you.” </em>He spun his spear in his arm, brandished and thrust it forth, aiming his gaze across it towards her.  “It was your soldiers that stormed Dracula’s Castle. I am going to enjoy tearing you apart, piece by piece.”</p><p>“Well come on then, have you come to talk, or fight?” She asked while brushing her white hair back. “The sooner you die, the sooner we can get on with taking Wallachia. So hurry up and die.”</p><p>“You first.” Isaac offered.</p><p>“Oh, are you scared?”</p><p>Isaac said nothing.</p><p>“Do you wish to lie down and cry in your soft feathery demon pillow?”</p><p>Isaac was silent still.</p><p>“Go ahead, I can wait as long as it takes, I will outlive you. You will grow old, gazing at my visage, and you will die.” Just then, a crow dive bombed her in anger while cawing loudly. She hissed and cussed and swiped at it.</p><p>Isaac didn’t plan for that, it wasn’t one of his crows or anyone’s. It simply hated her, so he used it to his advantage and attacked while she was distracted.</p><p>He charged and crashed into the army of Carmilla, gaining the upper hand while many of her vampires were still scattered about chasing villagers. The monsters of both armies began to fight one another in the midst of town, tearing each other and the town itself apart.</p><p>The three heroes, Trevor, Sypha, and Alucard, could only look upon the catastrophic battle. Any hope at fighting them off was eliminated. They had come in search of an old alchemist they had heard tales of from travellers through this town, but found the town in shambles, covered in blood.</p><p>“We must do something! People are dying!” Sypha shouted.</p><p>“We will.” Trevor said sternly. The three discussed it quickly, then ran into the town. They passed by the monsters that killed each other, and helped any townspeople they could find hiding in corners or crouching in broken homes, showing them where to escape the carnage and flee to the woods. They didn’t manage to save everyone, but they saved some. </p><p>Day began to break, the battle was far from over, the night hordes and the vampires stood no chance beneath the sun’s exhausting and destructive rays, so the battle was forced to a stop before a victor ever emerged. The two armies withdrew to vanish in the shadows of the hills and thick trees.</p><p>“Saved by the light of God, I guess.” Trevor mumbled.</p><p>The three heroes searched what was left of the town after the chaos for anyone who was still alive.</p><p>“The sooner we find the old alchemist, the sooner we can stop this madness.” Said Sypha.</p><p>Trevor used his strength to lift a large chunk of rubble off of a haggard man who was stuck beneath it. “Are you alright?”</p><p>“Yeah.” The man groaned as he shakily stood to his feet.</p><p>“You don’t happen to know anything about an old alchemist man, do you?” Trevor asked, getting to the point.</p><p>“Oh did they git ‘im? I hope so, that guy is the reason the night hordes are here, afterall.” The man complained.</p><p>“How so?” Trevor blinked.</p><p>“He’s an alchemist! Evil witchcraft user! God’s punishing us for allowing him to live!”</p><p>“Where does he live?” Asked Trevor, deadpan expression.</p><p>“Are you going to make sure he’s dead?”</p><p>“... yes?” Said Trevor while making his fakest ‘heroic alchemist killer’ expression.</p><p>“Good. He lives in the woods somewhere, but comes into town and pretends he’s not an alchemist. If he’s got nothing to hide, why does he hide? HMM? I hope you find him and git the bugger!”</p><p>“Sure.” Said Trevor. Completely convincing the man that he was going to kill the oh-so-terrible-alchemist.</p><p>Sypha tried as hard as possible not to roll her eyes out of her head at this man.</p><p>After helping the survivors find the courage to return to town to find what was left of their families, belongings, and homes, they didn’t remain to console anyone, and left to find the alchemist. It wasn’t like Trevor in particular was in a hurry to be compassionate anyway.</p><p>They searched through the day in the woods, and submerged into even darker, more dangerous parts, and eventually found a small shack hidden amongst a large, thick of tall trees. It was trashed by demons most likely. Inside, they found a dead man, and scattered shards of jars and vials strewn about. The floor was still wet with blood and alchemy solutions.</p><p>“Found him.” Said Trevor. “I don’t mean to be insensitive, but we don’t have time to pay our respects. Besides, he sounds like he was an ass, so I don’t want to. Let's search his things.”</p><p>They search through his belongings and find notes in a particularly interesting journal. The most recently written ones are of an increasing number of monsters roaming the countryside, resurrected by a surviving Devil Forgemaster.</p><p>“Guys! Come look!” Says Sypha, the two men looked towards her, Alucard looked over her shoulder to read the book. “It says here that there’s still a Devil Forgemaster alive! A man riding around on an undead horse with an army of monsters with red eyes.”</p><p>“You don’t suppose he’ll help us?” Trevor scratched his head.</p><p>“He’d sooner take Dracula’s place.” Said Alucard, turning to Trevor. “That sounds like Isaac. I know him. He was Dracula’s best friend.”</p><p>“Oh.” Trevor frowned.</p><p>“What if we find him, and force him to teach us Devil Forgemastery!” Sypha clenched her fist, it ignited with a light flicker of flame.</p><p>“Haven’t you two noticed? All of the monsters we have been fighting recently. Half of them with red eyes. Those were his.” Stated Alucard.</p><p>“Now that you mention it, some of them had blue eyes, too.” Stated Sypha.</p><p>“I didn’t notice.” Trevor did notice, he just forgot. “There were so many I just assumed they were all the same monster.”</p><p>“The colours are sort of like the Forgemaster’s signature. Two different colours, two different forgemasters.” Alucard said.</p><p>“You don’t suppose the blue guy would help us?” Said Trevor.</p><p>“There has been a decreasing number of blue-eyed monsters about.” Sypha stated.</p><p>“So he’s dead, then.” Trevor said.</p><p>“Most likely.” Stated Alucard. “That would be why the rest of the army belongs to Carmilla, now.”</p><p>“Damn.” Trevor cussed.</p><p>“Then lets revert to plan A!” Sypha put down the book and punched her fist into her hand. “Find Isaac and ‘nicely ask’ him to tell us how to destroy the castle!”</p><p>“It won’t work.” Alucard was not amused.</p><p>“We’ll see.” Said Trevor. “Sypha can be very persuasive.”</p><p>“Yes I can.” She winked at Trevor.</p><p>Trevor winked back.</p><p>Alucard just sighed. “Must you do this while standing next to someone’s dead body?”</p><p>“Right. Sorry dead guy.” Trevor apologized sarcastically.</p><p> </p><p>“Ever feel like you’re being thought about?” Asked Hector as he swung an axe and split a log in half. Rosaly gathered up each of the pieces in her arms and placed them into the pile with the rest of the split pieces.</p><p>“All the time,  because you’re thinking of me every day, Hector.” Rosaly smiled.</p><p>“Oh yeah, that’s true.” Hector nodded. “I don’t know, it’s just… I ran into a friend recently, he’s probably thinking about me.”</p><p>Rosaly turned to Hector and gasped while putting her hands sweetly over her mouth to cover her smile. “You… have a friend? Can I meet him?”</p><p>“Uh, that’s probably not a good idea…”</p><p>“Why not?”</p><p>“He’s uh..” A mass-murderer. “Far away…” That was true too.</p><p>She gasped. “We can go on an adventure to find him then!”</p><p>“What about the children? They need you.” He grabbed another log in one hand and placed it on the stump.</p><p>“I’ve taught my friends all I know. They can take care of the kids while we are gone.”</p><p>“Yes but… you’re you. No one else can be you.”</p><p>“Oh Hector.” Rosaly’s heart was warmed. “Put down your axe.”</p><p>“Oh… alright.” He placed the axe near the stump and turned to look at her.</p><p>She stepped up and hugged him. “You’re so sweet and perfect Hector.” She pressed the side of her face into his chest.</p><p>He embraced her in return. “Rosaly… Does that mean we will stay?” He hoped.</p><p>“Nope.” She let him go and took a step back to look at his face. “We're going to find your friend. He’s probably lonely.”</p><p>“No he’s not. He has other friends.” Many many many very loyal scary friends. He grabbed the axe and swung it again, quickly splitting a log in half. “He doesn’t need me, you do. So I can chop wood for you, and protect you and be there for you, like you’re there for me...”</p><p>Rosaly paused. “Oh Hector.” She placed her hands over her heart. Her eyes began to water. “I’m so… <em> so </em>glad I met you. Can I tell you something?” She paused for a moment. “I just... I didn’t believe that God wanted to bless me ever again after my family was taken away, but he let me meet you. So I’m thankful. Hector. Thank you for being born…”</p><p>Hector’s arms went weak just then. He dropped the axe and wood onto the ground.</p><p>“Hector?? Are you okay?” She took his arm gently. He turned around, took her hand and pressed it into his face. “Hector? Are you crying? Are you okay? What did I say?”</p><p>“Let me live my life for you and you only.” He sobbed into her warm hand. All his life, he had believed, and had been told that his birth was a mistake. Here was this wonderful woman, telling him that he was a blessing.</p><p>“Oh Hector!” His emotion empowered her’s, as tears began to pour from her eyes. She hugged him again, he buried his face into the warmth of her neck. “Alright…” Someday she would meet his friend, but today, life would be made of just the two of them…</p><p> </p><p>It was mid-day, Trevor, Sypha and Alucard were sitting around a fire in the woods, resting their bodies. They ate a delicious roast hungrily.</p><p>“Are you certain of this plan?” Asked Alucard.</p><p>“Positive.” Assured Trevor. “We find where Isaac’s army strikes next, we wait until his army crashes into Carmilla, and we capture him while he’s distracted.”</p><p>“Do you know him at all? No you don’t. There’s no way this plan would work.” Alucard said bluntly.</p><p>“Trust me, we got Sypha, she can freeze him.”</p><p>“He’s human, he’ll die immediately.”</p><p>“He’s HUMAN?! Who was going to tell me?” Trevor looked around, flabbergasted.</p><p>“New plan then?” Asked Sypha.</p><p>“No, same plan, we’ll just freeze his legs. I mean, you will.” Said Trevor.</p><p>“I’ll do it!” Sypha grinned.</p><p>They rested through the day, and when evening approached once again, they set out on their cart to travel through the night again.</p><p>After days and nights of travel and searching, they see in the distance, dotting the landscape and clouding the starry sky, a massive army of demons closing around a town.</p><p>“It’s him.” Alucard’s golden eyes narrowed.</p><p>Sypha gazed in awe and dread. “Does he just resurrect every person he kills?”</p><p>“Probably.” Said Trevor. “I will be sure this plan still succeeds. Carmilla should appear… any minute now… any minute now…”</p><p>She didn’t appear, not a single scout or demon from Carmilla’s army showed. Instead, an ear-splitting roar caught their attention behind them. They turned to see a massive, red-eyed manticore climbing the hill they perched upon. It’s lion head growling, it’s dragon head hissing, it’s goat head glaring, it’s serpent head bearing it’s dripping fangs.</p><p>Trevor cussed out a frustrated swear word and immediately leaped into combat with it. He cracked it’s lion eye with his whip, angering it to attack him while Alucard slashed it’s goat head off, and Sypha set it completely on fire.</p><p>They fled as soon as the battle was over, as their position had been blown. Another small group of monsters was nearby, and descended upon them as they fled into the woods. The group was large enough to be a challenge, and small enough to take out quickly. The violence covered the three in the blood of demons, they continued to run through the woods in search of a place to hide, they were certain they had escaped the army and were no longer seen as a threat to Isaac.</p><p>Suddenly, they found themselves in a clearing where a tiny village had made a place to live in the woods. People nearby spotted the three and screamed, running indoors immediately.</p><p>“No hold on.” Trevor raised his hands. “We’re not here to hurt you, we’re just covered in monster blood, that’s all.” He made an okay attempt at diffusing the situation, but the people were no less terrified.</p><p>A twig snapped, and a single, silver-haired soldier stepped out from behind the bushes in front of them, his sword was drawn, pointing towards them. “Leave at once!” He demanded. “We don’t want your war here!”</p><p>“Listen.” Trevor began to explain while attempting to calm him down. “I thought there were just more trees here, but it was a bunch of people. We will leave, you can be happy. But listen. I hope your simple… way-too-well-made to be ordinary sword can take on that army out there— okay WHERE did you get that sword?” It bothered Trevor as he stared at it’s shimmering blade and expert detailed craftsmanship.</p><p>“I made it, why?” The soldier’s blue eyes blinked, curious as to why the blood-covered man asked.</p><p>“What’s a top-notch blacksmith doing in the— you know what? Nevermind. You’re more interested in running me through so I’ll just leave without asking.”</p><p>“No hold on.” Said Sypha, stopping Trevor from leaving. “You have a point, such an incredible craftsman who can also wield the weapons he crafts is very far out of the ordinary for just being a guy in the woods. Who are you?”</p><p>“I am Hector. Why?” He did not drop his guard.</p><p>“Hector who?” Asked Trevor.</p><p>“Just Hector.”</p><p>“Hector… truly?” Said Alucard, stepping in front of Trevor.</p><p>“You.. you’re Alucard.” Hector pointed his sword at him instead. “Son of Dracula!” He growled at him, raising the sword towards the vampire’s face. “Come no closer!!!”</p><p>“Relax. I am here to save your people, not harm you.” He looked at Hector, grimly, fiercely. He was direct and to the point. “I am not with my father… I killed him.” His eyes thinned to sharp daggers.</p><p>Trevor and Sypha felt the tension in the air descend on everyone and choke the air out of the environment.</p><p>“You… you… killed Dracula?” Hector lowered his sword slightly, his grip loosening only a little, his arm weakening. “I thought… I thought you’d come to avenge him…” The fire in Hector’s eyes dimmed, he somehow appeared ashamed.</p><p>“Avenge him? What did you do?” Asked Alucard.</p><p>“I betrayed Dracula.” Hector’s eyebrows knitted together as he stared at Alucard.</p><p>“Okay is ANYONE going to explain who Hector is?” Trevor cut in.</p><p>Alucard glanced at him. “Trevor, this is Hector, Devil Forgemaster.”</p><p>“Former.” Hector corrected.</p><p>“Great! You can help us!” Trevor smiled.</p><p>“I said, former. No more will I pick up the craft after what my creatures have done.” Hector was sincere.</p><p>“You said you betrayed Dracula. Why?” Alucard wondered.</p><p>“I didn’t wish genocide upon my own kind.” Hector shook his head.</p><p>“You’re ALSO a human? Was no one going to tell me that all of Dracula’s Forgemasters are humans?” Trevor complained.</p><p>“Trevor, calm down, why is that so important?” Asked Sypha.</p><p>“Because my plan to capture Isaac was doomed to fail because we would have killed him immediately!”</p><p>“You know of Isaac, then.” Stated Hector.</p><p>“So Isaac is his name then.” Rosaly walked up, happily.</p><p>“Rosaly!!!!” Hector was shocked. He never noticed her coming. “Why are you here!?”</p><p>“I live here, Hector.” She reminded him.</p><p>“I mean right here in this spot next to this group of blood-coated people!” Hector elaborated.</p><p>“They look like you. See their funny clothes? They look special like you did when you first arrived.” She smiled at him.</p><p>“They do not.” Hector looked at them. “That guy is wearing brown, I wore blue and black.”</p><p>“That’s not the—- nevermind. My name is Rosaly.” She greeted the group.</p><p>“I see this is why you don’t want to leave. You're chained down.” Trevor nodded, crossing his arms..</p><p>“Never! Rosaly would never do something like that to me!” Bad memories flooded Hector’s mind just then.</p><p>“I meant… nevermind.” He hand waved.</p><p>“Please explain!” Hector frowned. “Why would you say something like that? I’m not chained to anything”</p><p>“It’s a figure of speech, he means you’re in love!” Stated Sypha bluntly.</p><p>Both Hector and Rosaly gasped and looked at eachother, then turned away and blushed.</p><p>“Oh these two are adorable.” Sypha smiled.</p><p>“In any case. You must leave.” Hector frowned and snapped back to serious-mode, growling. “You are covered in their blood, the scent of their blood will lead them here.”</p><p>“If they don’t pick up your scent first, you’re one of them, they know you… which, by the way… why hasn’t this village been touched?” Trevor wondered.</p><p>“Leave.” Hector frowned.</p><p>“You’re an easy target, you’re not walled off, you have only one guard, though you may be powerful, you don’t have any extra guards. How are you still here?”</p><p>“I said leave.” Hector became more fierce.</p><p>Trevor frowned. “Did you perhaps… forge a deal with Isaac? No pun intended.”</p><p>“Trevor!” Sypha crossed her arms.</p><p>Hector didn't respond.</p><p>“Hector, what are they saying?” Asked Rosaly.</p><p>Hector began to raise his sword again. “I don’t want you to see this, Rosaly, I need to get the enemy away from us…”</p><p>“They’re not the enemy though, they’re your friends… aren’t they?” Rosaly asked. “Hector?” Hector’s composure worried her, she backed away from the group, then. “They’re not your friends?”</p><p>“I told you… Isaac is my friend. They’re here searching for Isaac, they wish to destroy him.”</p><p>“Oh.”</p><p>“I have to protect my friend.” Hector tightened his grip on the sword, and Trevor stepped back.</p><p>“Your friend doesn’t need your protection!” Growled Trevor. “He has an army before him! You’re only saying this because you don’t want Rosaly to know the truth!”</p><p>“What truth? What army?” Said Rosaly.</p><p>“Trevor don’t.” Sypha frowned. “Stop fighting, we can leave!”</p><p>“The truth is, your’s and Isaac’s monsters killed humans!!!” Trevor spilled. Hector’s eyes shut tight as he lowered his face, not wanting to see Rosaly’s heart break.</p><p>Rosaly lightly gasped. “Oh… that’s awful.” She appeared saddened.</p><p>Trevor blinked at her, the tension in the air almost completely vanishing. “That’s awful? That’s all you have to say? Not… ‘oh no how dare you?’ Or ‘That’s the worst thing I’ve ever heard’?”</p><p>Rosaly looked at him. “No. Why would I do that?”</p><p>“I deserve it, that’s why.” Hector lowered his sword, gritting his teeth while he turned his head away from everyone.</p><p>“Hector… no.. don’t do this.” Rosaly reached for his hand.</p><p>He turned away before she could take it. “Why not, Rosaly? You should be shouting at me, it doesn't make sense.”</p><p>“I don’t want to.” She reached over and touched his arm.</p><p>“What I did was horrible!” He turned to her, his expression was one of shame.</p><p>“Hector, there are worse things than what you did.”</p><p>He sheathed his sword, confused. “What could be worse than being a murderer, Rosaly?”</p><p>“I’ll tell you about it later. You need to protect your friend, Hector. I believe in you!” She stepped away.</p><p>“Nope!” Trevor raised his hands in defiance and stepped back. “I don’t want anything to do with whatever this is anymore! I’m leaving. Okay. I’m. Leaving. You can get back to your merry life. We will find Isaac, and will politely ask him to help us, just as plan A was intended by God hopefully.”</p><p>“Trevor.” Sypha frowned. “Hector is right in front of us!”</p><p>“Yes but, making friends with someone is so much more difficult than plan A. Which is politely asking our most terrifying enemy... with our fists.”</p><p>Sypha sighed, Alucard pinched his nose bridge.</p><p>“Okay, we should find Isaac in any case, so we will. If plan A fails, then it’s back to plan B, alright, Treffy?” Asked Sypha.</p><p>“Yes yes alright.” Trevor turned to walk away, Sypha and Alucard followed.</p><p>“No. You can’t leave.” Hector growled. “You’re going to find Isaac, and—“</p><p>“And we will encounter him, and lose horribly, that's the plan, Hector.” Alucard ensured as he walked off without looking at him. “Don’t worry. He doesn’t need your protection, as we have said.”</p><p>Hector didn’t have a response for that. As he sheathed his sword, he couldn’t shake the feeling of helplessness. All of this power, and there was nothing he could do to stop them from going after Isaac… some part of him was ashamed at the hope he had held for their victory. If they won, the world would be saved, but that would mean he would have also betrayed Isaac, his friend…</p><p>“Is what I did… right, Rosaly?” He asked her, an emotional hole opening in his chest.</p><p>“Hector?” Rosaly asked.</p><p>“I let them go after him… he’s killing people. Rosaly. I shouldn’t allow him to do this, so I let them go… but… he’s my friend. I should stop him before they do.”</p><p>“Hector… now is not your time.” She touched his arm and rubbed it. “Isaac won’t die to them, but he also won’t be doing what he’s doing forever.”</p><p>“How do you know, Rosaly?” He turned to her.</p><p>“That’s the way life is. Everything doesn’t stay terrible forever, eventually life pulls through.”</p><p>“I hope you’re right, Rosaly. I hope you’re right.”</p><p>The two returned to Rosaly’s home, where she could finally find a moment to confess something to him she had been holding in for so long. A large wash of relief poured over her that night.</p><p>“Oh Hector…” She began while sitting in a chair and fidgeting with her sleeve hem. “It’s so good. It sounds wrong, but I’m so happy after tonight.” Tears began to fall.</p><p>Hector blinked at her, then stood up out of his seat and knelt to her, holding her hands. “Rosaly?” ‘Happy’ was the last thing he expected her to be.</p><p>“I was so scared for so long.” She continued. “Every time I asked… You refused to tell me why Carmilla had held you captive and to use your abilities for so long… I thought… I thought… oh the horrible things I imagined she forced you to do. Far too many. I prayed to God it wasn’t any of those things…but creating murderous monsters though… that’s horrible, but thank God it wasn’t worse.”</p><p>“What could be worse than killing people?” Hector was completely confused.</p><p>“I don’t want to tell you.” She looked horrified and pulled her hands away from his, and buried her face in her palms. “Just trust me. I don’t want to tell you…”</p><p>“Alright.” He stood up and hugged her close. “I trust you…” He would never know, and he was okay with that.</p><p>After a small moment, she spoke into his chest. “Okay … now we really have to go see Isaac.”</p><p>“What?!” Hector was surprised, he pulled away to look at her face. “Rosaly. Did you not hear of what he and I had done together?”</p><p>Rosaly looked up from his chest at him. “Yes, but you did the same thing.”</p><p>“Let me tell you the truth…” He looked away. “I did this… not because I was forced to… but because I wanted to help Dracula, he was my friend, once. Just as Isaac was, only… Isaac also enjoyed killing humans because… he hates them. He still does…”</p><p>“Do you?” She tilted her head.</p><p>He looked at her. “What...?”</p><p>“Do you still hate humans?” She asked innocently.</p><p>“How did you know I did…?” He was taken aback.</p><p>“I figured it out. Besides... “ She looked away. “The only reason I don’t hate humans anymore is because I have God in my life. Without Him, I would have gone down a dark path just like you and Isaac had.”</p><p>A deep silence fell between the two.</p><p>After a moment, the silence was broken by Rosaly. “Hector… ? Are you still…” She looked up at him. “Oh you’re crying, Hector!”</p><p>“I’m a fool, Rosaly, I should have known.” He pressed his hands against his face and knelt to her again. “I should have trusted you. How could I ever assume your life was any less difficult than my own?”</p><p>“It’s alright, Hector… really.” She leaned forward and hugged his folded over form tightly. “It’s difficult for me to talk about my secrets, too.” She pet him while he let it all out. She just sat and listened for a while until she gathered the courage to ask again. “So we are going to go see Isaac, right?”</p><p>Hector wiped away his tears with his hand and pulled away from her gently, looking at her. “No… we can’t… he still hates humans. He may kill you and I. He has an army, we wouldn't stand a chance.”</p><p>“He’s your friend. Why would he kill you?”</p><p>“I am human, as are you, he wishes to kill all humans in the world.” He said darkly.</p><p>Rosaly gasped and covered her mouth. “Then that’s why…”</p><p>“Why what?”</p><p>“That’s why God wants me to go see him…” Her eyes grew large and fascinated.</p><p>“You want to do this at the behest of your God? He is sending you to your death!”</p><p>“It may seem that way to you, but I trust him, he said all would be well. I don’t know why I’m meant to do this, but please.. I must do this. Don’t worry, he told me the village would be safe in our absence.”</p><p>“Did your God also supply you with a horse for your journey?”</p><p>“Maybe we can get one if I ask him. One moment.” She bowed her head, folding her hands, and prayed for a horse.</p><p>Hector’s rational mind could not understand her logic. How could she place her trust in someone she couldn’t see? However, he respected her and her love for her God. If he could have weird friends like Devil Forgemaster Isaac, she could have weird friends like the Big Creator of all things in existence.</p><p>She finished praying and stood to her feet, he stood up with her. “Alright, let's get prepared! I will pack the food and you can pack the tent!”</p><p>“You sound far too excited to go to your probable death, Rosaly.”</p><p>“I’m not going to die, I’m just excited. I’m going to finally meet your friend you talk so much about!” She clapped and giggled. “Oh what could be better than finally meeting your friend?”</p><p>“If he does kill you, I will stop at nothing to avenge you.” One could almost hear a melancholic, dark tune playing behind his voice.</p><p>“Hector…look at me.” She locked eyes with him. “I am not going to die.”</p><p>“Good.”</p><p>“Except from very old age. Maybe… 120?”</p><p>“You cannot die, when you reach 120 years, you can only ascend into the sky when Heaven opens and God is there to greet you.”</p><p>“Aw!” She laughed. “You’re getting good at flirting.”</p><p>“Flirt? … I was being serious. I thought that’s how God worked.”</p><p>“Oh Hector.”</p><p>“He doesn’t work like that? … then what were those paintings for?” He thought about it for a long time.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Please remember to leave a comment and a kudos! I love them so much.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>A crow soared through the dark misty air of the moon-lit sky. It dipped down and descended into a massive demonic army that populated the once-empty landscape. Isaac held out his arm, allowing the bird to perch on it. It looked at Isaac with its shriveled, pale eyes, and opened it’s broken beak to speak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It crawls with hoards of vampires! The town! Death everywhere!” It screeched a ‘caw’ as it jumped into the air and flew off again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Carmilla.” Isaac’s red eyes narrowed to hateful slits. Getting rid of her had its benefits, his crusade against the human race would have one less barrier, and her annoying existence would finally end, but more than that, he just wanted to kill her. How satisfying it would be to watch her body burn to death after piercing her heart with his spear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After his misty moment of drifting through death-filled fantasies was concluded, his eyes settled on the distant town. Smoke rose from it, he wasn’t certain if the fire was humans, or monsters, but now because of his scout crow, he knew: Cordova town was soon to be a graveyard. With a single command, his army’s march continued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Execution of his plan would be easy. One large benefit to having an army of demons created by his own hand was that commands were never questioned. He simply had to issue them, and they would be followed without hesitation. Cordova town had a massive number of choke points. With Carmilla’s flying army dwindling, his own fliers could easily pick away at her ground troops, and his archers could line them up and take them down one after the other. If he had extra time, he could even summon his fire drake to take down an entire street of them. He had to act quickly, though, as they were seeming to get into position in preparation for something. Perhaps they had sent out their own scouts and spotted him. When they were finally in position just outside of the town, he shouted aloud, and charged for the attack, leading the way with his long, bloody, wing-decorated spear.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alucard returned to Trevor and Sypha atop the hill cliff outside of Cordova Town. He fluttered to their side as a large bat, and transformed back to his original form, his feet landing on the ground next to them. “Isaac is leading on the frontline. He’s going to crash right in the middle of combat.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So he won’t be behind his own army, commanding from afar? Damn it all!” Trevor cursed. “You know how about we just… uuuuuh….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll come up with the plan this time!” Sypha announced. “How about we help Isaac win so that we can increase his chance of survival, then capture him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Carmilla may have the same plan us. She lost a Devil Forgemaster, she may want another one, so she will use Isaac…” Stated Trevor. “So we should uuuuuhh....”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. She won’t be able to.” Stated Alucard bluntly. “That won’t work for her, neither will this plan work for us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then why are you coming with us?” Sypha wondered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“... I’m bored.” Alucard really liked Sypha and Trevor, that’s why he was here. He couldn't tell them, though. He simply couldn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So we go with my plan, then?” Asked Sypha.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, fine.” Trevor waved a hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Body after body turned to flame and ash as Isaac ploughed through the vampire forces. Two of them leaped into the air and descended upon him, he leaned to one side and dropped off his demonic horse, avoiding their death from above attack. He whipped two silver knives through the air and dropped them each to the ground with one hit. A blue-eyed monster attempted to latch him in its jaws but he pierced his spear through its mouth and out the top of it’s head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His army all around him did as commanded as they rained arrows upon the troops fighting below. The flying monsters took out the last of Carmilla’s own flyers. Isaac’s planted archers were picked away by vampires that quickly ascended the buildings and tore them apart. Carmilla’s army was smaller than his, but more cunning. The choke points of the town were a part of her strategy, as well, as her magic users seared through an entire line of ground-monsters in a single blast of fire. Isaac’s energy began to wane, things began to look grim. He couldn’t die here, because it was Carmilla’s time to die, not his, but on the other hand, if he did, he could see Dracula again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just then, an eruption of fire magic exploded behind enemy lines and lifted several of Carmilla’s troops into the air. Had one of his monsters somehow gotten behind them? He sliced his spear through the air and beheaded a vampire, then took notice of a beautiful white wolf leaping into the air, holding a sword in it’s mouth. Did he see correctly? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Three soldiers fighting Carmilla’s army tore through the ranks of vampires that had been preoccupied with fighting the demon army. Their strategy was to take their best and send them to the front, leaving the weakest, and the archers at the back. This made Alucard, Trevor, and Sypha’s job very easy. They each chose a street and began to fight. Now it was only a matter of surviving the chaos.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isaac took the opportunity into his own hands. With the number of arrows flying through the air largely diminished, he called forth his greatest ally: the fire drake. With one fell swoop, the breath of the dragon swallowed the bulk of Carmilla’s forces as fire engulfed street after street. The three vampire-slaying soldiers took notice of the drake, and while out of range of it’s flames, took out the last of the enemies before them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This time, it wasn’t the sun that ended the fight, but the flames of a dragon. Carmilla and her forces, faced with no other alternative, were forced to retreat. They fled through the west side of town, avoiding the demon army from the north, and the vampire slayers from the south. The vampires poured out from the streets and scattered into the distance, Isaac called back his drake before it could attempt to slowly pick off what was left of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now he was left with only three lone soldiers before him, that which remained of his enemies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alucard.” Isaac’s red eyes narrowed fiercely. His teeth clenched, his grip on his bloody spear tightened enough to cause his arm to shake. As though to feel his rage, the earth itself began to quake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hold on.” Trevor raised his hands, sweat beading on his face at the idea of the Forgemaster somehow controlling the earth. Surely he wasn’t, though, the ground quaking was just a coincidence, or a giant worm. “Don’t kill us just yet, not until you hear what I have to say, it will only take a second. Please help us stop the Curse of Darkness.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well I tried. Sypha!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>An ice pillar shot from the ground in an attempt to trap him, but Isaac noticed her hand movement and suspected something, he leaped backward and avoided the trap, then lunged forward, straight towards Alucard. Alucard swiftly raised his sword to clash with Isaac’s spear and shove him away. “Stop, Isaac.” Alucard attempted. “You don’t need to do this, Dracula is dead!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know he’s dead. I know!!! Every day I wake up and I know!!!! He gave his life for me, now his legacy lives on through me!” Shouted Isaac. “Not through you!” He charged forth again and thrusted, swung, slashed, and tried all he might to hit Alucard, but the vampire was too quick on his feet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isaac’s demons tried to interfere, but he stopped them. “This is my fight! Mine alone!” He shouted at them. “I will be the one to kill the traitorous son!!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sypha, capture him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, dear.” She sliced her arms through the air and formed two ice blocks that captured Isaac’s arms and hands both while he was distracted with rage. He was trapped and could no longer move or attack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kill them.” Growled Isaac, eyes fierce.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just then, every remaining monster of Isaac’s army attacked. Including the fire drake. A massive fireball shot from its mouth, and crashed into the ground. The quaking earth exploded into a spray of roaring cracks, tearing apart the ground beneath them. Darkness shot up from the cracks and opened a large gaping maw in the earth. The cracks caught up to Sypha, Trevor, and the building Alucard had been standing on, and swallowed them all up. Alucard transformed into a bat, and flew down by choice, wishing to join his friends in the pit. The Curse of Darkness had begun to tear the land asunder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isaac and his army narrowly avoided the pit. They watched as darkness and earth swallowed his enemies. “Who or what…?” He was perplexed, yet, he was satisfied. He was enraged at the sight of Alucard, the earth itself seemed sick of the half-vampire’s presence as well, or so he believed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sure enough, there was a horse the next day. Hector spotted Rosaly in the most tiny, beautiful flowery meadow in the woods, petting and feeding a beautiful, grey horse. It’s saddle was ornate, and clean, as though it was well taken care of. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did… did that prayer actually work?” Hector stammered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes of course. You thought it wouldn’t?” Rosaly looked at him, his Forgemaster armour looked as good as the day she found him, meaning to say, it looked awesome, glistening in the sunlight, dark, scratched metal and deep gouges and intricate designs catching the daylight and twinkling gold and black.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whose horse is this?” He asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He must have run from one of the towns under attack, and he came to us. God guided him here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell your God I said thank you for the horse.” Hector said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell him yourself.” Rosaly smiled at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How? Don’t I have to go to a church? To be accepted?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, you just have to say ‘thank you God’.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh… thank you… God?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a pause.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did he hear me?” He asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, he did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good.” Hector was certain that playing along with her would make her happy, even if a God didn’t make sense in his mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two sat atop the horse. Hector in the front, Rosaly behind him, warmly hugging his back. He felt comfortable, warm, perfect.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did your God provide us with a map? A location?” Hector asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nope. I was hoping that you would help with that, but I do already have a map at least.” Rosaly answered, then handed her map over to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took the map from her and unrolled it. “Logically speaking, we can find out where he is by learning where he’s been. Let’s start with … the path of destruction…” He rolled up the map and returned it to her. He pet the horse on the shoulder and smiled, then set off on their journey.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Days had passed since the disappearance of the three who assisted Isaac in his battle. His enemies. He had hoped they were dead, never to bother him again. His journey to find and crush the remainder of Carmilla’s army led him back to a place of familiarity. Dracula’s Castle. It still remained. Was it just him, or did the clouds overhead appear supernaturally dark? The air held a sense of cold, empty weight. He liked it. He was home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wolves howled in the distance. Plentiful, large, terrifying. He saw their eyes light up, glistening blue and eerie in the woods. He awaited their approach. Massive wargs and smaller wolves and some dogs and even… cats? An army of monstrous animals that had risen from the corpses of unfortunate pets and wildlife. This reminded him of someone. He half-expected to see that someone approaching soon after. What he did see was a horse, and a man riding it. Ah. There he was, that someone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hector.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hector stopped moving with his pack of creatures many yards away from Isaac’s own army. “Isaac.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“... I don’t remember there being a forest here.” Isaac addressed the elephant in the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh.” The tension in the air dissolved. Isaac constantly surprised him. “The dryads I created. They grew it in a matter of months.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course it was you.” Isaac frowned, irritated. “Everything is because of you.” The tension rose once again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Isaac… I’m only here because someone wants to talk to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hurry it up so I can get to killing you.” Isaac demanded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosaly slid off the horse on her own, Isaac blinked, he hadn’t noticed her at first. Hector watched her, his heart pounding in his throat, he felt himself grow dizzy as Rosaly slowly approached Isaac’s horde.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My name is Rosaly, I just wanted to tell you… um…” Rosaly began, her pause went on too long. Isaac would surely grow impatient, but Hector had to trust her. Trust her, damn it! “... someone out there still loves you. She’s waiting to see you again, and… she’s not angry with you. She never was.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That did it, Isaac’s face fell, he was no longer enraged, instead, he was shocked and … saddened?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay that’s all, take care Isaac, I wish you all the best in your life, I am so happy I got to finally meet you!” Rosaly ran back to the horse and climbed in the saddle behind Hector again. Hector turned to begin to withdraw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait.” Isaac started. Hector couldn't believe his own lack of logic, but he stopped, and listened, turning back to him. “How do you know her?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosaly gasped, her holding over her mouth, her eyes wide and glittering, she drew away her hands for a moment to answer. “S-Someone told me about her, I’ve never met her myself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who… WHO told you?” Isaac demanded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If I tell you, do you promise not to hurt us?” Rosaly asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will destroy you if you don’t.” Isaac growled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was God. God told me.” She said sweetly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want the TRUTH!” Isaac’s horse reared as he shouted. “Tell me!” The hooves of the horse slammed into the ground and caused a slight tremor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That is the truth!” Hector yelled. “You don’t have any reason to trust us, but we don’t have any reason to seek you out and lie to you. We just want to get back to our lives. If you want more truth than that, then here it is: I wish I never came here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened to your desire for friendship, then?” He spoke in a low voice to Hector, he dared not to reminisce again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wanted to be friends… I still do, Isaac, but I don’t want any part of this slaughter any longer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t need your help, Hector.” Isaac spat. “I can end all life around the world without you, without any of Dracula’s incompetent halfwits and their f-” He let loose a long string of cusses and swears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, no swearing with the lady present!” Hector frowned. Rosaly giggled behind him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you don’t even swear anymore, Hector? What happened to you? What did she do to you? Did she exorcise you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I never liked swearing to begin with.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then why did you swear?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I…” He scratched the side of his head. “I… just wanted to impress you…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isaac paused. Oh no Hector was very charming. No! He had to kill him, he was the reason Dracula died!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hector! Hector!” Rosaly whispered loudly. “Hector please! Reconcile with him before it’s too late!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? No.” Hector looked over his shoulder at her and replied. “He wants to kill me!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He doesn’t ACTUALLY. Come! Now is the perfect time!” She stated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don't want to!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes you do!” She shoved at him, urging him on. He struggled to stay in the saddle, the scene looked very odd from Isaac’s perspective.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing?” Isaac raised a dark red eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whoa whoa no don’t I’m falling!” Hector fell off the horse and landed on his Forgemaster-armoured shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosaly gasped. “Oh I’m sorry I didn’t mean to push you off, are you okay?” She covered her mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s alright, my armour protected me from the ground.” Hector assured her and stood to his feet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I almost don’t want to kill you anymore, you’re making me sad.” Isaac’s patience grew thin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh!! That’s a joke right? Like actually a joke this time? You do want to kill me still, right?” Hector asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re asking me as though you want me to want to kill you.” Isaac frowned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do… I mean I don’t of course. I meant… You know it would… just be awkward if… we suddenly became friends after such an intense meet up like this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What would be wrong with us becoming friends after meeting in the woods in front of Dracula’s Castle?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing, it’s just… Well, everything. I get it, you don’t want to be friends, I’m fine with that, I will just drop the subject and leave, is that alright? You can try to kill me, everything will feel normal again.” He raised his hands into the air and turned to mount the horse again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. I demand that we be friends. NOW.” Isaac used the most commanding voice he could.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hector froze, one foot barely in the stirrup. Rosaly gasped so loud she had to cover her mouth. Her eyes grew large.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You… what?” Hector slowly looked to Isaac just to be sure he was still there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You heard me! Do it!” Isaac growled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You… why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dracula wanted--“ He gasped as he caught himself, tense emotions dissolving like the morning mist as he came to a realization. “It’s because of Dracula… he wanted for us to be friends. If I am loyal to him, then I will obey him. I will be your friend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Isaac…” Hector turned towards him and without thinking about it, he began to approach him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isaac slid off his horse and sheathed the spear on his back. “Hector.” He approached.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They met between the two hordes, and joined hands together. They had become friends.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rosaly clapped. “I’m so happy, you two actually are friends now!! Aaah!!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Somehow, I feel the desires of Dracula conducting us today.” Stated Isaac.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, it’s almost as though he’s all around us, willing things into existence.” Hector nodded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The black sky’s hue warmed, just then.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>None had expected things to work so well. Not even Rosaly. The Forgemasters were correct about one thing, another hand was conducting them...</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m nearing the end of the story, or at least the ‘my version of season 3’ portion of it, so the chapter seems a bit shorter. It’s gonna be SO EPIC!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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